14. 06. 2013

STATE TELEVISION CLOSURE UNDERMINES GREEK COALITION

Athens, June 6, 2013 (EurActiv) - The closure of the Greek state television ERT undermine the unity of the coalition government and could, some analysts warn, lead to early elections that the debt-ridden country now needs the least.

Minority partners in the coalition, which is not harmonious, are opposed to the closure of the public service broadcaster, criticism also came from Brussels, while Athens and  Greece have reacted with demonstrations and strikes. The New Radio-Television of Greece will be established at the end of the summer but will have significantly fewer employees than abolished one.

Greek conservative Prime Minister Andonis Samaras , under pressure of demands of international creditors to reduce the number of employees in the public sector, announced on 11 June the closing ERT and the decision was made in the form of a decree which does not require the approval of the Greek parliament.

Broadcasting of ERT was suspended on 11 June, just before midnight , and 2,656 television workers were left jobless.

State TV ERT began broadcasting radio program in 1930s , and TV program in 1960s. Although the widespread opinion was that it reflects the attitude of the authorities, and during the dictatorship from 1967 to 1974 it was  under army control, ERT has enjoyed a favorable status  because of the regional, cultural and sport content that is broadcasted.

The decision to close ERT led to demonstrations in Athens and other cities, and a general strike in Greece .

Samaras plans for Greece to remain without a public service broadcaster until the establishment of the new broadcasting at the end of the summer, based on the laws that are already in process.

Minority partners in a year old coalition, the Socialist PASOK and the Democratic Left ( DIMAR ) , opposed the abolition of the Greek Radio and Television (ERT).

Samaras' New Democracy defends the closing state television stating it is only temporarily, because of the need to rebuild it to make it more efficient and financially viable.

Greek government spokesman Simos Kedikoglu emphasized that the unity of the Greek government is not in question .
"We can have different approaches, but our goal is common.  We hope to find via consultations an acceptable solution for all, said Kedikoglu noting that leaders of the three parties will discuss the future of ERT on June 17.

He reiterated that the closure of ERT is temporary, adding that the three coalition partners are going through difficulties, but are always striving for common goals.

"To build a new company, we have to close the old one," said Kedikoglu adding that the ERT was a "wasteful paradise" and pointing out that the state electronic media will be re- opened in a new format and with a much smaller staff.

He added that all employees will receive compensation and will again be able to apply for a job when the programs are restarted.

The president of PASOK Evangelos Venizelos said after closing the ERT that his party is "completely against "switching off" of the TV screen," adding that PASOK is not afraid of elections.

And the Democratic Left opposes closing of state television and thinks that the changes should be implemented , but without closing of ERT.

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition Coalition of the Radical Left ( Syriza ) Alexis Cypras estimates that the government`s "days are numbered".

"The Public Service Broadcaster is closed either if we are attacked from outside, or if there is a civil war," said Cypras whose party on elections of 17 June 2012  surprised all  by taking the second place.

The Greek European Parliament  MP from the Group of Socialists Spiros Danelis said  for EurActiv Greece that the closing of ERT is an "authoritarian move"  by the Greek prime minister who did not take into account the disagreement of other two coalition partners. He said that PASOK and Democratic Left are "trapped" in the coalition government, adding that Samarasov`s move could be interpreted as an "announcement of early elections."

Early elections could undermine investor confidence in a country that only has stabilized in the past year.

Analysts say that the Greek government is not united beside the cases of ERT, because Samaras measures have not slowed down the unemployment rate and because government has ended several strikes by applying emergency measures of "civil mobilization " - with the threat imprisonment for strikers.

At the news from Greece the European Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks sharply criticized the closing  of the public service broadcaster ERT and called on the government in Athens to revoke the decision.

Muiznieks said that the decision to extinguish the Greek public service broadcaster is a "severe blow to the basic pillars of democracy," adding that even a temporary shutdown of the public broadcaster threatens media pluralism and decreases the freedom of expression.

The decision "encourages tensions in a country already suffering from serious financial and social crisis ," said Muiznieks.